Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Mark Richt speaks, we listen. Well, we also ask questions, and then he speaks, and we write. And after this process Wednesday night, here are seven things we learned:

1. They went full pads again on Wednesday to practice more against the cut block, a staple of Georgia Tech’s offense. Richt didn’t like how they were looking against it so far in preparation.

In fact, every practice they’ve had the past two weeks has been full pads.

2. The Thanksgiving plan: They’ll be done by about 10 a.m., and then excuse everyone to go eat.

“Anybody’s who’s close enough, they usually go home," Richt said. "A lot of times, families will come in and have Thanksgiving here. And there’s a lot of guys who will take their teammates who have a little far to go, to their homes. Coaches take players to their homes.”

“Between (Jones) and Richard Samuel playing linebacker, it’s probably the best linebacker tandem in the country. Scout-team linebacker tandem,” Richt said. “They’re outstanding talents, and giving our guys all they want all year long.”

In hindsight, Richt agreed, Samuel’s injury could end up a blessing, as it gave him a year to acclimate to the linebacker switch. He will have two years of eligibility remaining, and Jones, the transfer from Southern California, will have three.

6. Georgia will not be sporting black jerseys on Saturday, Richt confirmed.

7. Richt was asked if the struggles of the running game have increased the need to sign a big-time running back in February. That was an obvious reference to a certain Columbus recruit, whom Richt can’t talk about, per NCAA rules.

“I would just say we sure would love to sign a big-time back this year. How’s that?” Richt said, looking up and smiling at Claude Felton, UGA’s associate athletics director for communications. “That’s a very big priority for us. A very big priority.”

8. Three juniors – Charles White, Ben Harden and Josh Sailors – are leaving the program early and being honored with the senior class on Saturday. That’s a common occurrence for juniors who are going to graduate early and haven’t played much.

Richt said he had spoken with White, and planned to have a conversation with Harden.

“I just tell them I appreciate everything they did for us,” Richt said. “They busted their tail, they did the best they could, it didn’t work out the way they wanted it to on the field. But they’re going to get their degrees. I know they’re men of integrity, they’re guys that are gonna be tremendous employees, and probably employers one day. They’re gonna be good husbands and fathers. They’re just great people. I think they’ve done well.”

And that’s it, for now. Look for a story on Richt, and how he’s held up this season, with quotes from his new boss, in Thursday’s papers.

Oh, and happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your turducken, or stuffing, or green bean casserole, or all of the above.

I hope that before Georgia gets another big time back, they learn what to do with them instead of wasting them and not blocking for them. It might be that until they can fix that, they won't get another big RB.

I'm thinking that were probably not gonna get Crowell. He seems Bama bound. I would love to have him but I just don't see it. If we could just get one of the big three. Drew, Rome, or Crowell. Rome I'm sure would have the least immediate impact.

I don't know of any other big time back out there that could step right in next year and perform like Crowell could. Our offense will still be very good next year even if Green leaves and we don't get Crowell. We have a couple of other NFL type talents for Murray in Charles, and Tavaress King. Also I see Marlon Brown possibly having a season kind of like Kris Durham had this year.

Also our rb's aren't that bad. It just seems like they never got going this year with all the injuries and suspensions. Everyone before this year started thought we would have one of the top rushing teams in the SEC. With Ealey a junior and King a senior they will have the experience they just need to play a whole season. You also have Malcome who was a four star back just like Crowell is.

I just don't want us all to sit back waiting for Crowell to come in and save the day. He might not come here, and if he does he might not even be that great. A lot of fans are expecting him to be the second coming of Herschel Walker or something. I think Crowell is gonna break a bunch of Dawg fans hearts.

The Buford coach said Crowell is the best back he's seen in state in 10 or 15 years.I'm not a professional scout but watched his highlight tape and he looks special.Word is we've got a great shot at him.South Carolina had a poor season last year and sold Lattimore on going to the instate school and helping rebuild,we can do the same with Crowell..Also,hope the coaches consider looking at Wesley-Scott at running back.The knock on him is poor hands and raw route running but his speed and size reminds me of a bigger Chris Johnson, who was also a wide receiver when he started at East Carolina.

My advice is to not sweat the recruiting too much. Maybe every ten-thousandth player (and that ratio is only getting larger) is a Herschel or a Tebow, that can single-handedly change the fate of an entire program, but the vast majority of kids are simply contributors.

Yes, I care about wins, but in the end, I want kids who I can be proud of; kids I can point to and say "Hey, that guy went to my Alma Mater: they're Dawgs through and through," rather than worrying if the wins we've had will even count in the long run because we played the kid.

Be with your families today. Enjoy that feeling of belonging. And know that is what the University of Georgia should be about: NOT win-at-all-costs.

What is everyones thoughts on AJ Green being possibly the best Ga player since Herschel Walker. I know they play different positions and Walker could have more of a impact as the rb but the more I see Aj I'm thinking were seeing something special.

Players like Aj seem to come along about as often as players like Walker. The last player even close to to the combination of skills of Aj was Calvin Johnson and before that maybe Randy Moss. I think Aj is better than Johnson and plays harder than Moss. He's more like a mix of Fitzgerald, and Andre Johnson.

The closest player I have seen in recent years to Walker is Adrian Peterson. Speed, power, and moves!

We will get another really good wr eventually but there won't be another Aj Green for a while and I hope we know what we have in him for these next two games. Just like after Walker we have gotten a Hearst, and a Moreno. There very good but there not a Walker or Aj Green where they were just so far ahead physicallly they couldn't be stopped.

If recruits are partly wavering because of the uncertainty of Richt, McGarity needs to come out and say he's going no where for more than just next year. Something more long term like an extension or mention how he's under contract for a few more years. Need to show stability for a longer term than 12mo.

Heck if Crowell goes to Bama Saban could leave at any time! That's what he does! I wouldn't be surprised if Saban left after this year. Richt is not the type of man to do something like that.

Also Ga has been putting backs in the NFL for years. Right now Moreno, Ware, and Lumpkin are all on NFL rosters right now. You also have Musa Smith, Haynes, and Patrick Pass in recent years who have been on NFL rosters and contributed. Am I missing anyone else? These are not all big names but that is a lot of players from one school at one position to make the NFL.

This stuff about Bobo not properly using his backs is BS and circular logic. If we had, say , a big time back , he would be properly used , more so than Lattimore at USC. We have always been tailback U. I love Washaun and Caleb, but they aren't getting the job done. Crowell could be the answer to (one of) our problems.

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About the Author

Seth Emerson has been covering the SEC and Georgia (on and off) since 2002. He worked at the Albany Herald from 2002-05, then spent five years at The State in Columbia, S.C., covering South Carolina. He returned to Athens in August of 2010, only to find that David Pollack and David Greene were no longer playing for the Bulldogs. Adjustments were made.

Emerson is originally from Silver Spring, Md., and graduated from Maryland in 1998 with a degree in journalism and a minor in getting lost on the way to practically everywhere. Then he spent four years at The Washington Post, covering small colleges, a couple NCAA basketball tournaments, and on one glorious day, was yelled at by Tony Kornheiser. It was probably at The Post that he also learned to write in the third person.

These days he lives in Athens with his beloved and somewhat wimpy dog, Archie. Together they fight crime at night in northeast Georgia, except on nights there is no crime, in which case they sit at home, sip on white wine and watch reruns of "Mad Men."